Turkuaz - Buffalo, NY 18 April 2014

Sometime in high school, I discovered the B52’s.  I discovered them during the more commercially successful sickly saccharine phase of their Cosmic Thing album.  As a huge R.E.M. fan, I knew of the B52’s because of their Athens, Georgia connection. I liked their music and their style because it was different. I engrossed myself in their catalog of music, but when friends would comment that they didn’t get the band, I rarely offered an explanation.  I justified it as that I didn’t need to explain why I liked the band.  The more honest answer would have been that I didn’t get it either.  As I walked into Nietzsche’s Friday night to experience my first Turkuaz show, I had no idea that I was going to connect back to my teen years and finally understand a band that had silently confused me for years. 

I can hear the cringing already. The B52’s are so campy and silly.  I agree and that to me is part of their appeal.  So how and why could I compare the two?  Really, I can’t.  The level of skill and talent in Turkuaz far outweighs any comparison.  Let me backup for a minute since it feels like I’m getting a little head of myself. Let’s start with a proper introduction.  Turkuaz is a Brooklyn, New York based band that requires a long list of musical genres to accurately describe. Take a healthy heaping of the best party/celebratory music of all time, insert nine incredibly talented musicians with natural stage presence and what you get is Turkuaz. 

Every song feels like time travel.  Hints of Motown, 80’s new wave, disco, swing, jazz and the blues emerge from their funk driven sound at the perfect moments.  From the minute they walked on stage, the crowd was ready for a party.  As the set started, I honestly felt that I had stumbled into an Easter Weekend revival rather than a bar on Allen Street.  It was spiritual salvation in the form of glorious music that reminded me that “my life is good.”  As they moved from song to song, I could only marvel at how many amazing musical genres have emerged both before and during my lifetime.  I was being offered a concise, pointed, and detailed musical journey in one neatly well put together package. Who needs time travel to experience the best music ever written, when a band like Turkuaz has already nailed it conceptually?

All of my theories are purely based on observation, so I could be totally off the mark.  What struck me about this band is that although they appear to take their positions as musicians seriously, they don’t take themselves so seriously that they strip the pleasure out their passion.  So while they are creating some serious jams, they are doing it with an intense level of personal enjoyment.  I would venture to say that these nine create what is gratifying to them and the fact that the crowd digs it, that’s probably just a bonus.  

There is so much going on with nine musicians on one platform that synchronization is crucial.  And Turkuaz doesn’t miss.  Multiple vocalists, guitars, bass, keys, horns, and drums swirl around each other in perfect timing.  It’s a beautifully well-orchestrated musical extravaganza.  There is plenty to hear, see and feel as you are taken on a musical journey that will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.  The dynamic of Turkuaz is hard to explain with nine different musicians bringing nine different personalities to the table. No one member emerges as the front person.  Vocally speaking, it’s a collective effort. Each vocalist offers a variable that is imperative to the band’s comprehensive sound. Dave brings blues, grit and heart.  Josh brings soul, revival and spirit.  And Geneva and Sammi add a jazzy, feminine vibe that infuses sexy playfulness into the vocal vibrancy of the band. There is a vocal sound for everyone.

Because there is so much instrumentation going on at one time, it’s hard for me to decipher from where all the glory is coming. The horns are crisp, clean and sharp.  As a horn section, Greg, Josh and Chris offer an entertaining and engaging blend of sound in a spirited and playful fashion.  Taylor (bass) and Michelangelo (drums) support the band with perfected timing.   Guitars subsided to horns to allow the funk to flow.  On guitars, I know that Dave and Craig are there, but the balance is so harmonious that it’s too well mixed to say exactly who is responsible for the groove. The sheer level of coordination involved in Turkuaz’s music is mind blowing.  And the music is so infectious that you really should just be thankful that they are making all that dexterity happen on such an impressive scale.

Now, let me digress for a moment and let me talk about why Geneva and Sammi are my favorite part of Turkuaz.  Even as I tried to focus on other aspects of the band and the music, I found myself drawn to them. My eyes would constantly divert back to watch them.  There is a subtle onstage sisterhood between these two women that is just fun to watch.  You can tell that they just absolutely love what they are doing while they are performing. They feed off of each other in a way that exudes sexiness, confidence and poise. In all my years in a band, I never shared the stage with another female.  After watching these two Friday night, it makes me wonder what I may have missed. 

Turkuaz isn’t afraid to cover songs.  And they shouldn’t be since they do them with such tenacity. Friday’s crowd was treated to renditions of songs like “M’Lady” (Sly and the Family Stone), “The Shape I’m in” (The Band) and “Honky Tonk Women” (The Rolling Stones). The song selection showcases the spectrum of musical influences among the band’s repertoire.  But the heart and soul with which the songs were performed are a better indication of the true respect the band has for these classics.  They played these songs like they were their own while keeping the roots of the music truthful.  Covers can be tricky.  Sound too much like the original and you lose your originality.  Take too much liberty and you’ve ruined the memorial.  But Turkuaz finds the perfect balance between the two.  So much so that it often takes a second to recognize the cover isn’t one of their own. 

Where Turkuaz shines is their originals.  Among my favorites from the set list Friday night was “20 Dollar Bill” a dirty, soulful funk based tune that exudes a seductive feel while “Snap Your Fingers” can only be described as a song that is taken to church, possessed by soulful spirit and laid out as an sweet offering. “Murder Face” is a jazz based creation with moments of 80’s synth to which my heart instantly connected.  By set’s end, I was slightly saddened with the exclusion of my favorite Turkuaz song “Monkey Fingers” but thankfully the band didn’t disappointed me as they slayed the tune in amazing fashion for their encore . 

Turkuaz lays low on my radar this summer.  I won’t get to see them again until the Night Lights Fall Music Festival in September.  I rolled solo to last night’s show and sadly I think I missed part of the Turkuaz experience by not having some else to rage with while I was there.  I’ve already warned my friends that none of them are allowed to miss the bands Night Light’s set.  Their set alone will be worth the price of admission.  If the band trundles into your neck of the woods, grab a crew and make a night of it. You will emerge from the venue feeling euphoric and energized by decades of spirited music that have inspired this band’s enraptured creations.

So now you may be wondering, what does all of this praise of Turkuaz have to do with my B52’s confessional?  It’s simple.  Watching the party that is a Turkuaz show made be better understand what I think the B52’s were trying to do all those years ago.  I couldn’t understand the band’s sound fully because I didn’t have the musical library as a teen that I do today.  I see now that through their campy and silly persona, the band was celebrating a whole different kind of tribute to its inspirational influences.  And that’s what I also see from Turkuaz.  Sometimes, when we hold something with such high regard, we tend to squeeze the life out of it.  Musicians are no different.  Sometimes reverence creates staleness. Turkuaz celebrates the greatness of musical history by bringing it life in new fashion.  It’s about showcasing their studied knowledge in a fashion that focuses on rejoicing first and respect second. And when you celebrate what you love, you can’t create music that is anything other than unspoiled and unblemished.

The Set List

Nietzsche’s – Buffalo NY April 18^th

JB Intro

Chatte Lunatique

Coast to Coast

Bubba Slide

Murder Face

Night Swimming

M’Lady

Tiptoe

Snap Your Fingers

It’s Hard

Honky Tonk Women

I’ve Got a Feeling

Back to Normal

20 Dollar Bill

The Shape I’m In

Monkey Fingers

Jimkata - Buffalo NY 12 April 2014

This past winter in Buffalo has been brutal.  And thankfully, Jimkata saved my life.  Okay, so that may seem like a far-fetched statement.  However, as a Florida girl finding myself in the coldest weather in which I have ever lived, Jimkata became my beacon of warmth during this otherwise artic winter. I discovered this Ithaca based four-piece at the Night Lights Fall Music Festival this past summer and it’s been a growing courtship ever since.  Sometimes, I am secretly convinced that Jimkata was conceived just for me. Somehow the music gods decided that I deserved a band that encompassed my love of 80’s new wave and 90’s alt rock with a jamtronica twist.  To my soul, their music is the perfect blend of every sound I love. 

A simple walk through the crowd at Nietzsche’s Saturday night was an insightful view into the cross section appeal this band possesses.  Heads to hipsters dig this band.  There are no cliques at a Jimkata show.  Instead, what you find is a sea of variety in search of the very same thing - that “sound”.  And Jimkata’s sound is so hard to describe because it spans over decades and genres. They don’t sound like anyone else, although at the right moments I am convinced I hear a homage to the Talking Heads or a tad bit of Umphrey’s McGee, but I can never be quite sure.  There is a 90’s alternative rock vibe that they own but I can’t quite put my finger on where its influence lies; perhaps a sign that these guys have actually done it right.  They are paying tribute to some of the greatest pop/rock music of the last thirty years without obvious recognition. They’ve created a sound out of love not imitation.

Last night, I noticed something about the way these four create and play their music.  Generally, like the rest of the crowd, I am too engrossed in the dance party that is a Jimkata show to watch the interaction amongst the band.  However, last night, as I captured the band through the single lens of my camera, I caught a brotherhood and passion that comes from a place of love.  There is no pretension. As I watched these four guys play with the crowd and for the crowd, I didn’t see any rock attitudes or on-stage tension.  I felt like I was watching four best friends play their music together.  Perhaps they are just good at faking it, but if that’s the case, we’re talking When Harry Met Sally good at faking it. By all appearances these boys create music to spawn fun.  I think that is why this band is so well received on the festival circuit. Jimkata‘s music is infectious, celebratory, and hopeful. 

Of the bands I currently listen to, Jimkata is probably the most radio friendly. They write songs with catchy hooks.  Lyrically, their words are crowd pleasures.  They are not afraid to write music that is interactive.  They allow their fans to join the live experience with plenty of sing-along type moments in almost every song.  There is a familiarity to their sound that you’ve never heard before but yet somehow, you have heard it before.  To paraphrase Churchill, Jimkata is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. My point, you can’t really describe them accurately.  You just have to see them. 

Saturday night’s show in Buffalo was the halfway point as the boys get a week off before venturing south and down the east coast for the second half of their tour.  The night’s set list provided some Jimkata classics while offering a mellower vibe in the overall feel to the night.  Raging was an option in more upbeat tunes like “American Cars” and “Chain Store”.  However, songs like “Low Low” and “Die Digital” offered the crowd a chance to just vibe on the flow.  We were treated to all four new songs from the Feel in Light EP.  And there was no shortage of the crowd belting out every word to these recently released songs, evidence that the new music has managed to connect to the fans with a quickness.

I don’t often love bands with multiple guitarists, so the fact that Jimkata has two guitarists is an oddity among my favorite bands.  Somehow Aaron and Evan don’t overpower each other.  There is no epic guitar struggle; no lead vs rhythm.  They each shine in their own moments.  That is another testament to how their sound works.  It’s harmonious even in its structure.  One of my favorite moments of the night was an impeccable face melting guitar solo from Aaron during “Electronic Stone”.  He plays with a quiet grace that hits you unexpectedly in the perfect moments. 

My only criticism of the band is that I secretly wish Evan would step away from the guitar more.  There is a sense of vulnerability in songs like “Chain Store” when he leaves the shelter of his instrument to present just a vocal front.  Maybe as a vocalist, I find it to be a connective conundrum.  Perhaps, I am partial in that I like to watch a vocalist present their skill set without armor. But those moments are so powerful and fleeting that it leaves me wanting more.  Even behind the guitar, Evan weaves mindful phrasing into tricky little earworms that you can’t help but sing along with him. 

I think it’s important to note Jimkata really is four guys truly doing the work of six musicians.  Beyond guitar duties, Aaron also handles keys.  Beside bass, Dave (and his sporty new mustache) also handles synth responsibility.  They all contribute vocally.  They create simple but unique harmonies that complement the complexity of their music.

The base to this band is a fundamentally incredible rhythm dynamic between Dave and Packy (drums). Let me digress for a minute to talk about the important of a band’s cadence in regards to drum and bass.  When it’s bad, you hear it.  A bassist and drummer that don’t sync well together sound primal but not in a good National Geographic kind of way.  It’s just raw and wrong.  It’s off putting. No matter how brilliant they may be individually as musicians, if the bassist and drummer don’t gel than nothing will ever sound right. Jimkata does not have this problem.  Even on slow tempo songs, Dave and Packy make you want to dance.  The core of their music is so right that you could replace Evan and Aaron with two monkeys and you would still want to dance to it.  I am not suggesting that either of those two should be replaced by primates.  That image in my head was too tempting not to share.  A rhythm section alone does not make a band but without a solid foundation, a band has no stability to build its sound.

And that sound… Ask anyone that has seen Jimkata live, and they will all tell you the same thing.  Be prepared to dance, be prepared to fall in love and welcome to the addiction.  You will want to see them again.  And maybe that’s the connection that their fans have.  No sorrows, no darkness, no regrets, no bitterness- just four guys creating a soundtrack of celebration that can make even a six month long polar vortex nightmare seem bearable.

The Set List

Nietzsche’s – Buffalo NY April 12^th

American Cars   

When the Day Comes Nightshade >  

Roll with the Punches Lighter   

Die Digital >   

Beat the Curse   

Feel in Light 

Electronic Stone 

Daytime Fiction > 

Chain Store 

Low Low 

Swimming 

Feed

E:   

Intro/Sweet Glory

Legoland 

Devil's in the Details

Twiddle- Buffalo NY 28 March 2014

Sometimes music is a like a religious experience for me and recently I’ve been “witnessing” for Twiddle.  I honestly feel like a missionary.  I tell anyone that will listen.  Anyone that even shows a bit of interest gets an earful of praise and admiration from me about this amazing band.  I constantly gush about this Vermont four piece like it’s my job.

My journey into the jam band/music festival scene is a slightly boring one, but I think it’s important to hear it in order to fully appreciate my love for this band, so bear with me. Most of my life I have been a slave to pop music.  I have a secret love for perfectly written earworms especially one hit wonders that litter 80’s music compilations.  My whole life, I followed slightly below the radar trends like new wave, grunge, 90’s female empowerment, pop-punk, and college rock. The bands and musicians I loved always found their way to the mainstream, and then I would pout because my once secret band was now exposed to the masses.  I was the girl that showed up at the local record store every Tuesday for new release day. Sure, I grew up with plenty of knowledge of the scene and more popular bands like the Grateful Dead.  My older sister and her husband invited me to shows often but I never went.  I hate to admit that I foolish declined to see the boys for free on more than one occasion.  Sadly, Jerry passed while I was in college so I never got the chance to see them live. 

My college boyfriend was also a fan of The Dead and he was the first to introduce me to other bands like Widespread Panic and Phish.  I enjoyed the music but I was only listening to studio work. Just like with the Dead, I also received numerous invitations to see Phish live, but I always declined.  My response was always the same; it just wasn’t “my thing”.  Anyone that knows me now can only imagine the regret that I feel.  I could have seen Phish in the mid 90’s.  But I just didn’t get it yet.  I didn’t get “the jam” thing.  I was too immersed in my world of four minute college rock instant gratification and angry chic tunes to take the time to just really listen to the music that sound tracked my life.  

While I was in college, I started working in commercial radio for one of the nation’s highest rated alternative rock stations. What started as an internship soon became a full time career. My focus became playing and promoting what the labels were pushing.   It took me years in the industry before I finally saw what commercial radio is really about and how sometimes major record labels strip most musicians of their power, skill and creativity.  Once I felt like the money was more important than the music, I exited the business. My passion for music and finding new bands had fizzled as a result. 

A few years later, I met my fiancé David.  He like so many people in my life listened to the Dead.  He was an advocate of the festival scene.  He asked me to go to a festival when we first started dating and again I found comfort in my tried and tired response: “Not my thing.” He was constantly going to shows and in an attempt to get to know him better, I started tagging along to local venues for shows of bands that were staples on the festival circuits.  I begrudgingly agreed to see both Trampled by Turtles and Umphrey’s McGee, but it wasn’t until a STS9 show at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo that something clicked.  I finally noticed that there was a level of musicianship that I had never noticed or appreciated as a fan. I suddenly stopped looking at the value of music for more than just what it could do for me as a consumer and started noticing what was being gifted to me by these talented and skilled musicians.    

I found that of all the more well-known bands in the scene, I enjoyed Phish the most.  I had always appreciated their music so it was a good place to start.  And this is where my Twiddle journey began. One night David and I sat in our apartment listening to the Phish station on Last FM.  We were mid conversation, when something caught our collective attention.  We stopped talking, looked at each other and marveled. The song was “Apples”.  The band was Twiddle. 

Within a few weeks I had downloaded every studio recording I could buy.  I instantly fell in love with tracks like “When it Rains it Pours” and “Daydream Farmer”. I was playing Twiddle almost every day but I still wasn’t really listening to them yet.  Why? Because I hadn’t discovered them live.  It would be nine months from the time I heard “Apples” until I saw them in the flesh.  I was instantly hooked.  There is no comparison.  The live Twiddle experience far outweighs anything that they have produced in the studio.  I soon discovered that online, if I just simply looked for it, I could find live recordings of shows.   Now, I am listening to a whole catalog of music that I can’t just buy on ITunes. 

Twiddle is the first band in a long time where I have felt that same sense of discovery I left back in my college dorm room.  But this time it's different.  Even though I feel like Twiddle is my little secret, I don’t want to keep it that way.  Why discover music  and not share it with other people? When I speak to others at shows that want to wax poetic about the love of their favorite-must see band, I always ask one simple question, “Have you heard Twiddle yet?” My advice if you haven’t; it’s okay to check out their studio recordings or even hear some of their live shows but to truly appreciate what they do,you must see this band live.

I am sure that my friends on Facebook couldn’t wait for Friday nights show at Nietzsche’s to be behind me.  For months, I have relentlessly promoted this show and I am sure that my video posts, event invites and general girlie like gushing over this band has caused me to be hidden by at least one person.  Not to worry though, Jimkata plays in just two weeks at the same venue, so my feed will remain alive and well.

The crowd was buzzing even before the band’s first set. After a killer opening set at last year’s Camp Bisco and their November show at Nietzsche's word is spreading around Buffalo to see Twiddle.  And as the band continues to tour and land on major festivals throughout the circuit, word is spreading to catch this band in a small venue while you still can.  This night started out right as the band opened with Indigo Trigger, a beautifully crafted carefree jam with a catchy hook. Somewhere in the mist of the Atlantic Mocean/BBQ jam I ran to the bar to grab another drink and my friend Stephanie caught me as I passed her.   

BACK STORY ALERT!!!! Stephanie had previously dismissed Twiddle in various conversations.  When I first mentioned going to the show that they played last November, she griped that Mihali sounded too much like Dave Matthews.  I will admit that there might be a slight vocal similarity once in a blue moon, but sound like Dave… I told her she had to see them live.  Finally, she conceded and agreed to go with some friends to last night’s show.  “They’re incredible!” she exclaimed.   I smiled as she continued and hugged her.   “I get it! You’re right.  They’re incredible”. 

First timers marveled at how such a rich, intense sound could come from only four musicians.  Last night’s show was a celebration!  This long winter has drained almost everyone in Western New York.  But last night, at the end of another rainy, dreary, cold day, their music served as a source of warmth, light and love. I needed that release.  And from the sound of the crowd, I wasn't alone.   It’s evident that these guys are utilizing every performance to hone their sound. When I saw them in the same venue last November, I was instantly convinced of their talent and skill.  However, last night I felt like I was watching four master musicians work together to create an incredible night of music.

  

Music fans in Buffalo are always ready to throw down.  And last night we were treated to two sets. The jams didn’t disappoint with incredible versions of “Cabbage Face” and “Hattibagen McRat”.  By far the most talked about moment was “Jamflowman” complete with a “Layla” teaser.  Everyone marveled at the sheer technical skill of Mihali’s solo work.  There is nothing sloppy about the ways he handles a guitar.  It is practiced, precise and thrilling to watch!  I won’t even pretend that I understand how much dedication has gone into crafting that skill. 

When I talk about the band, I often find that I have to stop myself from the Phish comparison. Their obvious connection: a four piece with keys.  Like Mihali’s guitar, Ryan brings a whole different level of technical ability to their sound.  His notes and runs are clean, sharp pinpoints of musical revelry.  It’s celebration from structure. In Phish, Trey and Paige create these beautifully timed symphonies of controlled chaos.  But in Twiddle, Mihali and Ryan showcase impeccably timed opuses of meticulous dexterity. In less poetic terms; they have their shit together.

With so much precision at the front of the band, it’s only fitting that the drums are handled by Brook in a similar manner.  There are so many layers of complexity to the beats that drive Twiddle’s music that you have to step back and realize that it may just be Brook deciding the flow of the band.  He and bassist Gubb create a seamless rhythm section for this already precision based four piece. The thing I think that makes Gubb such a great bassist is that you sometimes forget he’s there.  His bass is such an integral part of any Twiddle song that you overlook the fact that he’s the pulse of the music.  Everyone once in a while, the other three fall silent just enough to allow Gubb to remind us of his presence as you are treated to moments of  funky, gritty soul.

The structure and precision of Twiddle’s music is softened by the lyrical content.  Songs of celebration and amusing tales are intertwined amongst messages of environmental and social awareness.  Soft harmonies complement Mihali’s unique vocal tone. His passion and intensity are highlighted best in the moments where his voice is allowed to ring clear. Lyrics are thoughtful, well-written and heartfelt.  They are also very catchy.  Their covers are always varied.  Last night, we were slammed in the face by an amazing Glycerine/No Woman No Cry/Farmhouse/Wagon Wheel medley that I hope someone was recording.   Their rendition of Hallelujah was stunning. Even though it was the second time I had heard their version of it in the same venue, I wasn’t disappointed.

Amongst our crew in attendance of last nights show was my co-worker, Mitch. At 27, he had never attended a concert until last night.  A few days ago, we convinced him to come with us.  From the first song, he was hooked. I could only smile every time I caught a glimpse of his face. It was that look of pure shock and awe that comes with having your face melted for the first time.  He text me this morning already wanting to catch more shows and declaring himself a lifelong Twiddle fan.   

I joke with my friends all the time and tell them that I often feel like I’m preaching the gospel according to Twiddle.  Promoting their music and message is a redemptive journey for me.  I feel like it somehow makes up for the years of pushing radio friendly songs with little integrity and no social conscience.  I don’t discredit my time in the industry, because I know that the songs I played and the bands I promoted created amazing memories for a lot of people.  But to watch a room full of people get spun into a revival like frenzy by these four men from Vermont is a refreshing experience. If you are at a festival this summer and Twiddle is on the line-up, I highly recommend that you see their set.  Otherwise, you will have to hear everyone else gloat about it.  See them when you can and where you can.   

Last night’s two set list at Nietzsche’s - Buffalo NY

March 28^th, 2014

I: Indigo Trigger
Atlantic Mocean-> BBQ -> AM
Tom's Song
Cabbage Face
Daydream Farmer
Wildfire
Jamflowman

II: Earth Mama
Glycerine/Farmhouse/No Woman No Cry/Wagon Wheel Medley
Hattibagen McRat
Hallelujah
Gatsby the Great
Zazu's Flight
Mamunes the Faun